Barrier means for shuffleboards



Aug. 21, 1951 O I 2,565,238

BARRIER MEANS FOR SHUFFLEBOARDS Filed Nov. 10, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 From Coin (on frol/ea Jm/ch for Jo/en 0/0 51 INVENTOR. Jerry C. Koci Afforney I 7' I l8 3 Allg- 1951 J. c. KOCI BARRIER MEANS FOR SHUFFLEBOARDS 2 SheecsSheet 2 Filed Nov. 10, 1948 a mm- IN V EN TOR. Jerry C. Kaci PM mm Patented Aug. 21, 1951 BARRIER MEANS FOR! SHUFFLEBOARDS Jerry C. Koci, Riverside, Ill., assignor to Chicago Coin Machine Co., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application November 10, 1948, Serial No. 59,215

2 Claims.

This invention relates to an alley type of game and particularly a game apparatus of the shuffleboard type having simple means for rendering the game operative.

A shufileboard type of game has among other things a board or alley with a smooth highly polished surface. One end of this alley is the playing end from which a puck is supposed to travel along the alley surface toward the other end and thereafter is returned by suitable means to provide for scoring. In those games to be controlled by a coin or the like, it is desirable to render the game inoperative unless prescribed playing conditions exist. It is undesirable to mar the surface of the alley by disposing any barriers in the alley proper. Furthermore, it is desirable that the disabling means have sufficient flexibility so that a puck will not damage the game or impair the disabling action.

I This invention provides a simple and compact disabling means which may be readily applied to any alley with a minimum of change to the alley. Furthermore, the means contemplated by this invention are simple and foolproof and are not susceptible to damage because of rough treatment or the like.

In order that the invention may be understood, it will now be explained in connection with the drawings wherein Figure l is a perspective view of a game embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional detail on broken line 2-2 of Figure 3 with certain parts broken away of the disabling means embodying the invention. Fig. 3 is a sectional detail on broken line 3-3 of Figure 4 is a sectional view from the top of the disabling means. Figure 5 is a sectional view on broken line 55 of Figure 4. Figure 6 is a sectional detail of an end of the disabling means in an inoperative position.

Referring now to the drawing, the game comprises alley ll! of suitable material such as wood, composition or the like having a smooth highly polished and waxed surface. Alley ID has playing and scoring end ll showing squares with numbers. Alley ID has end l2 provided with cushion l3 extending the full width of the alley. Cushion I3 is of soft rubber or other suitable material and is adapted to return puck 15 when a player has propelled the puck along the alley.

The alley is carried in a suitable framework and is'provided with rails ll extending around the four sides thereof. The game may be mounted on suitable legs 18 or may be supported in any other desired fashion.

At the playing end of the alley, coin chute 20 of standard construction is provided. This chute includes electric switching means, not shown, for controlling the disabling means to be described hereafter. It is understood, that chute 20 requires a suitable coin to be positioned therein and the chute is thereafter operated. The operation of the coin chute will permit the game to be operated, the disabling means being rendered inoperative for a predetermined time. As a rule in such game apparatus a time clock for controlling the length of time for playing a game is provided. Inasmuch as such coin chutes and clock control means are old, no detailed description thereof is deemed to be necessary.

At the head end of the alley, this being the end containing rubber cushion l3, panel is disposed. This panel may have suitable lights for indicating the time of play, the score and other data and may include advertising matter as desired.

Carrying panel 25 is base 26 attached to the head end of the alley and disposed above the alley surface to clear pucks l5. Base 26 extends the full width of the alley and at the upper surface thereof carries the following mechanism.

Supporting member 28 of sheet metal is attached to base member 26 in any suitable manner such as by wood screws 29. Supporting member 28 is of sheet steel and has straight portion 38' and upwardly extending sides 3| at the ends thereof. Supported at ends 3| are solenoids 33 and 34 having upwardly movable armature plungers 35 and 36. Plungers 35 and 36 have their bottom ends attached to coil springs 38 and 39 respectively. The bottom ends of coil springs 38 and 39 are attached to ends 40 and 4| of movable beam 43 extending substantially the full width of the alley. Beam 43 consists of an elongated sheet metal member overlying supporting member 28. Beam 43 is provided with a plurality of apertures through which pass guide posts 45. Guide posts 45 may consist of long bolts suitably disposed in base member 26 and extending through apertures in supporting member 28 and through beam 43. Each guide post 45 has washer 46 and coil spring 41 between the washer and beam.

At spaced intervals along the length of the beam, that is along the dimension transverse to the alley, beam 43 carries a plurality of guard pins 55. Pins 50 are preferably made of metal such as steel and are mounted for vertical movement in beam d3 at their upper ends. Thus each pin 51] may have the upper end turned over at 5| to spread the metal, washer 52 being provided to prevent pin'50 from dropping through the aperture in beam 43. At a suitable place along pin 50 such as for example at 54, a pin or other anchor is provided for supporting washer 55. Between washer 55 and the bottom of beam 43, coil spring 56 around each pin 50 is provided. Coil spring 56 tends to force pin 50 downwardly as seen in Figures 5 and 6. It is obvious, however, that each pin 50 may be moved upwardly against its coil spring. Pins 50 operate in suitable passages through member 28 and base member 26.

Pins 50 are spaced along the alley width at sufficiently close distances so that the separation between adjacent pins is less than the diameter of a puck. Thus when the pins are down, a puck will not be able to get through. Solenoids 33 and 34 are connected together and are adapted to be operated simultaneously. When the mechanism is in a condition such as illustrated in Figure, 6, pins 5!] will be up so that pucks may enter into the narrow end space between base member 25 and the alleysurface and; may reach cushion [3 to be. returned. In this condition, the solenoids are energized and the energizationj may be controlledbythe coin controlled means. Upon the expiration of: time allowed for' the game or upon thecompljetion of a game, solenoids 33- and 3.4; will both be tie-energized andpermit beam; 53 to drop. The. mechanismwill thereupon assume the condition. shown in. Figure 5v with pins 5.!) extending, below the bottom of base member 25.

Because of. the-spring, mounting of each pin, it will be apparent that if the beam is let down with one or'more Ducks. inthe space below the pins that a pin will rest upon. a puck.

What is claimed. is:

1. For use in a shuiileboard type of game having a playing surface along which a game element is adapted. to; travel, a barrier disposed across said surfacefor preventing playing of said game, said barrier comprising a base member rigidly supported across said: playing surface, said base member having its bottom, surface above said playing surface so that gameelements may pass thereunder, said base member also having. it top surface, a plurality of posts carried by said base member and extending upwardly from: the. top

5 Number surface of said base member, a floating beam extending the full width of said playing surface and disposed above said base member, means for mounting said beam upon said posts so that said beam may slide vertically, spring means for biasing said beam to a downward position, a plurality of pins carried by said beam and extending downwardly therefrom, means for mounting said pins so that they are movable vertically in said beam but are biased to a downward position with respect to said beam, said base member being apertured for clearing said pins and said pins being disposed at spaced intervals along the. transversedimension of the playing surface with thespacing of said pins being smaller than the dimension of a game element, said pins being long enough so that in the downward position of the beam and in the downward position of said pins, the bottoms of said pins will just stop short of the surface of the playing surface and electromagnetic means at the two ends of said beam for maintaining said beam against its spring bias and against the force of gravity in an upward position where the pins clear the playing surface suificiently to allow game elementsto pass along the playing surface.

2. The structure according to claim 1, wherein said electromagnetic means includes solenoids at the twov ends of the beam and spring connections between the solenoids and the beam ends.

JERRY C. KOCI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Gravatt Oct. 25; 1932 Luse July 21, 11936 Rockola May 11, 1-93 Radtke Dec. 26 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Germany Oct. 5, 1908 Number 

